cancelling Verizon data plan but still keeping my iPhone?

[hoosiergirl2012]

I concede my doubts to those who say otherwise. I have been outright lied to by a Verizon sales rep, but somehow I will get over it.

I don't blame you for having doubts! I obviously did too haha... what did the Verizon salesperson say to you? Do you mean that you asked this same question and they told you it couldn't be done?

When I asked a girl at my local Verizon store, she said she "wasn't sure." But she thought that an iphone has to finish its 2-year contract or it will be automatically locked. So yeah I dunno... maybe they need to train employees better

 

[From A Buick 8]

Would it be just as unfair if you bought a car, had it stolen a month later and still have to pay for it?

When you get a loan you are buying the car, for the cell phone subsidy you are agreeing to keep contract in service for two years, the phone itself swag.

Looking at all of the paperwork that came with my 4 when i bought it, it looks like all i need to do is keep the line open.

 

[7thson]

I don't blame you for having doubts! I obviously did too haha... what did the Verizon salesperson say to you? Do you mean that you asked this same question and they told you it couldn't be done?

When I asked a girl at my local Verizon store, she said she "wasn't sure." But she thought that an iphone has to finish its 2-year contract or it will be automatically locked. So yeah I dunno... maybe they need to train employees better

I have been told explicitly that they will not allow an iPhone to be activated without a data plan, which is not what you are doing, I know. What you are wanting to do sounds like what I just did with Page Plus, but in reverse: activated a dumb phone on a cheap prepaid plan, one with voice and text with 100mb of data, and "flashed" an iPhone 4 to replace the dumb phone. Page Plus uses the Verizon network and that's what shows up on the phone as the provider, but Verizon also told me that I couldn't do this, sooo....yeah, I got the run around.

OK, I had to satisfy my curiosity and called Verizon customer support. You can do what you are wanting to do! My doubts are utterly dispelled and I am somewhat wiser for the effort. It seems like such a simple way to game them for a device that you could just turn around and sell for $$$. Not that you want to do that, but still.

As far as the store employees go, I don't think they are all that informed about the minutia of policies and such.

 

[hoosiergirl2012]

OK, I had to satisfy my curiosity and called Verizon customer support. You can do what you are wanting to do! My doubts are utterly dispelled and I am somewhat wiser for the effort. It seems like such a simple way to game them for a device that you could just turn around and sell for $$$. Not that you want to do that, but still.

As far as the store employees go, I don't think they are all that informed about the minutia of policies and such.

You are my hero!! haha thanks for calling and getting an actual definite answer. It didn't even occur to me to call customer support, I only spoke with employees in the store... like you say, I think they don't really know much about it!

 

[alent1234]

be careful, if you have no data plan then verizon may charge you the a la carte price of data which is like $5 per MEGABYTE or something ridiculous. any tiny transmission outside of wifi will trigger this minimum charge

 

[hoosiergirl2012]

be careful, if you have no data plan then verizon may charge you the a la carte price of data which is like $5 per MEGABYTE or something ridiculous. any tiny transmission outside of wifi will trigger this minimum charge

But how would I accrue any data at all if the iPhone won't even have cell service? Remember, it would be off my account, merely being used as a glorified iPod. I'm not sure if you're missing something or if there's something I don't know...

 

[pragmatous]

Ya I didn't see that she wanted to swap back to the dumb phone.

We're all human relax.

If you switch phones you do not pay a ETF, which is what the OP is asking. If you cancel the contract you just renewed, then and then only do you pay an ETF.

 

[alent1234]

But how would I accrue any data at all if the iPhone won't even have cell service? Remember, it would be off my account, merely being used as a glorified iPod. I'm not sure if you're missing something or if there's something I don't know...

you're going to pay the ETF and tell verizon to take it off the account?

if not and its still associated with your account and it goes on the network you may get some bill shock

 

[hoosiergirl2012]

you're going to pay the ETF and tell verizon to take it off the account?

if not and its still associated with your account and it goes on the network you may get some bill shock

I will switch the line back to my dumbphone, so yes, the iphone will be off my account. The ETF only applies if I were to actually cancel my phone contract, which I will not be doing.

 

[JerseyDoug]

you're going to pay the ETF and tell verizon to take it off the account?

if not and its still associated with your account and it goes on the network you may get some bill shock

No err because she is not canceling the line. Merely changing phones. The phone won't be able to use cell data because it will be deactivated as. Far as the phone company is concerned. It will have no acces to the data network.

 

[PhoenixMac]

Lol wish someone could close this thread so people with below average reading comprehension or unaware of Verizon policies could stop polluting an already solved thread.

 

[SR45]

Lol wish someone could close this thread so people with below average reading comprehension or unaware of Verizon policies could stop polluting an already solved thread.

Ditto.... Please do

 

[Applejuiced]

I think that's the whole point. They'll be stuck in a smartphone contract for two years. I just don't believe Verizon will take a hit on this. Granted, this is a family plan so maybe just data for them to pay for.

Your assumption is false bro.
They're not taking any hit, they still have him locked into a 2 year agreement.
They cant lock him to use or pay for a data plan for 2 years, that's illegal and not part of the contract if you bother reading it.

----------

Lol wish someone could close this thread so people with below average reading comprehension or unaware of Verizon policies could stop polluting an already solved thread.

I know.
There's no much bad information flying in this thread
LMAO
People please if you have no clue dont act like you know.

 

[hoosiergirl2012]

Just to update anyone who may be interested in the outcome... SUCCESS! Bought my brand-new iphone today, came home, de-activated it, cancelled my data, and am back to using my dumbphone but with an awesome "ipod" to show for it. Very happy! Thanks everyone who helped me figure out I could do this successfully

 

[Ivabign]

Now where to get a good dumbphone! I think you have to be careful as some phones I think are dumb phones, Verizon will say you need a data plan...

For instance, I had a line with an ENV3 which didn't require a data plan - when I did some checking after a few months - Verizon changed the status of that phone and it required a minimum $10 data plan....

Go figure

 

[Bob Coxner]

Has anyone tried this with AT&T?

If you're not a current AT&T wireless customer how would you do the trick?

 

[hoosiergirl2012]

Now where to get a good dumbphone! I think you have to be careful as some phones I think are dumb phones, Verizon will say you need a data plan...

For instance, I had a line with an ENV3 which didn't require a data plan - when I did some checking after a few months - Verizon changed the status of that phone and it required a minimum $10 data plan....

Go figure

haha yea my phone is pretty much the dumbest of the dumb... a simple slider phone from the stone ages. BUT, it's reliable and the battery lasts forever, and I sure don't have to worry about anyone stealing it! Now that I have the iphone as my ipod, I feel like I have the best of both worlds

----------

Has anyone tried this with AT&T?

If you're not a current AT&T wireless customer how would you do the trick?

I don't know anything about AT&T, sorry :/ If you're not a current customer, though, then I don't think the plan would work. The whole point was that I already had a phone that I was willing to keep using... I just used my upgrade to get the extra iphone. If that makes sense.

 

[beefy6969]

any DEFINITIVE answer to this thread?

 

[JerseyDoug]

any DEFINITIVE answer to this thread?

Yes. Read post #39.

 

[darngooddesign]

Would it be just as unfair if you bought a car, had it stolen a month later and still have to pay for it?

That's why almost all financing requires full coverage insurance.

But beyond that, just because you are too cheap to pay for insurance does not negate the contract you signed to pay for that car.

 

[violetgoose]

well... yes, that seems like it would be equally unfair, right? haha I can't tell if you're agreeing with my point or not!

----------



aaah THANK YOU! You can't imagine how happy I am to finally get an answer to this. I agree, for most people, they'd rather just use the iphone as an actual phone. But for me, a poor grad student who doesn't want to pay two years' worth of data, this seems like a win-win solution as opposed to purchasing the new iTouch for 300 (which is what I was originally planning on).

Anyone else done this? Or am I the only weird one? haha

THUMBS UP GIRLY. I am in the same position you're in! Just created a thread myself haha.

 

[hockeyman94]

I apologize if this question has already been asked, but I couldn't find it anywhere and I am really curious as to the answer!

I'm on a Verizon family plan and my non-smart phone is due for an upgrade. This means I could get an iPhone at the discounted price. Of course, I'd also have to start paying for data, which I do not currently. My question is: if I use the phone for a few months and then decide it's not worth the data charge, can I cancel the data portion of my plan and switch back to my dumb phone, but KEEP the iphone and use it as an iTouch (wifi only, no phone features). Or will Verizon force me to pay two full years' worth of data even if I'm back to using my dumb phone?

On the one hand, it seems unfair that someone could potentially have their brand new iphone stolen or lost and then be forced to pay two years of data despite not even having a smart phone.

On the other hand, the scenario above would essentially allow someone to own the iPhone and use it as an iTouch, all for the discounted price.

I've been trying to get a straight answer about this for ages and nobody seems to know, not even a Verizon employee that I spoke with. Somebody PLEASE help me!

When you buy the phone you can have them activate it then ask them to activate your old one that way you don't get charged for data. Your using your upgrade but your not going to be using the phone on your line. Does that make sense? if not let me know and ill try explaining it better.